If you have a set of key bindings that you like to use all the time,
you can specify them in your `.emacs' file by using their Lisp
syntax.

The simplest method for doing this works for ASCII characters and
Meta-modified ASCII characters only. This method uses a string to
represent the key sequence you want to rebind. For example, here's how
to bind C-z to shell:

(global-set-key "\C-z" 'shell)

This example uses a string constant containing one character, C-z.
The single-quote before the command name, shell, marks it as a
constant symbol rather than a variable. If you omit the quote, Emacs
would try to evaluate shell immediately as a variable. This
probably causes an error; it certainly isn't what you want.

Here is another example that binds a key sequence two characters long:

(global-set-key "\C-xl" 'make-symbolic-link)

When the key sequence includes function keys or mouse button events,
or non-ASCII characters such as C-= or H-a, you must use
the more general method of rebinding, which uses a vector to specify the
key sequence.

The way to write a vector in Emacs Lisp is with square brackets around
the vector elements. Use spaces to separate the elements. If an
element is a symbol, simply write the symbol's name--no other
delimiters or punctuation are needed. If a vector element is a
character, write it as a Lisp character constant: `?' followed by
the character as it would appear in a string.